Spider-Man has one of the most iconic rogues galleries in all of pop culture, and most have been featured across his eight feature films, but one managed to get his own successful spin-off franchise. Venom was introduced back in 1988 and soon became the perfect anti-Spider-Man, eventually being brought to life on the big screen for the first time with 2007’s Spider-Man 3.
Director Sam Raimi originally didn’t want to touch Venom for the original trilogy, but at the request of producer Avi Arad added him as well as Gwen Stacy to the script. Spider-Man 3 was the most expensive film ever made at the time and was the most successful Spider-Man movie until the release of Spider-Man: No Way Home.
Now, Raimi is returning to the superhero franchise world, but still doesn’t quite get the appeal of Venom. During the press tour for Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, he lamented his unfamiliarity with the character, and Spider-Man 3’s disjointed reviews.
“It was really more just that I didn’t understand the character that well. It wasn’t close to my heart. The best thing I like about Stan Lee and Steve Ditko’s Spider-Man is that they made relatable characters that I understand,” he told Uproxx.
“Even if they were confused, like Norman Osborn, they still have goodness in their heart…even J. Jonah Jameson has goodness in his heart. When I read about Venom, which I hadn’t read as a kid, I had to catch up on it when they wanted him to be in the movie,” Raimi continued. “I didn’t recognize enough humanity within that character to be able to identify with him properly. That’s really what it boils down to.”
Venom had a second life with Tom Hardy’s portrayal in both Venom and the sequel, Venom: Let There Be Carnage which did surprising box office in 2018 and 2021, respectively. Raimi mentioned that he still hadn’t seen it, but praised the success of the character, who also made a small post-credit appearance in No Way Home.
“I’m glad they were able to make a success out of that,” he said.
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness hits theaters May 5.
